1881 – Picture Gallery, Royal Gardens, Kew, Surrey

This restored gallery at Kew Gardens is now permanently devoted to the stunning botanical illustrations of intrepid Victorian traveller and artist, Marianne North. Not only did North commission and pay for the architect James Ferguson to design the building, she also supervised its construction and the hanging of her 823 paintings. In addition, she painted the interior frieze and decorations around the door and ensured that the walls were lined with 246 different types of wooden boards from the wood she collected on her extensive journeying.